Unique instrumentation to highlight Riverfolk’s next concert

Ara Topouzian will bring traditional Armenian music to the Blacksmith Shop on Saturday, February 22, at 7:30 pm.

Have you ever heard of a kanun (prounounced: kah-noon)?

You may not be the only one who hasn’t; but you can see one in person in Manchester later this month! This ancient Middle-Eastern harp, dating back to the fifth century, is sometimes considered the “grand-daddy of the piano,” according to master kanun player Ara Topouzian, who will be bringing his famed and considerable talents to the next concert in this winter’s Blacksmith Shop Series.

“Actually, if you look inside any piano, you will see the resemblance to the kanun,” Topouzian explains. “This instrument is played throughout Armenia, Greece, and Arab nations. It has 72 strings and the instrument is plucked. It has the ability to play chromatic notes but it is designed to play Middle Eastern modal scales, or makams as they are called.” He adds that the instrument has the ability to ‘bend’ notes–actually playing in between whole notes, providing a unique sound that is not often heard in traditional American music.

Topouzian says he started playing the kanun more than 30 years ago.

“I was enamored by the instrument when I first saw and heard it,” he says. “I learned mostly on my own but I have had a few teachers along the way to provide some assistance. I learned by listening to music – that was the advice of all the musicians that played this type of music. I listened to records, cassettes and went to live events where Armenian musicians were playing on stage and I could watch what they were doing.”

There are not many Armenian kanun players in the United States, and Topouzian believes that he may be the only Michigan-based Armenian playing this instrument. In 2012, Topouzian was awarded a Kresge Artist Fellowship for the Performing Arts for his achievements and contributions to his craft, which was an important validation of his work as a musician.

The music is important to his culture, he explains.

“The longevity of the music is amazing,” he said. “The Armenians suffered a horrendous fate in 1915 when 1.5 million Armenians were massacred by order of the Turkish government, the Ottoman Empire. To think that our music, which was created in these lands, was no longer able to be created–it is shocking. What survived is amazing; what is lost, we will never know.

“What I do know is that the survivors took what they could–the clothes on their backs, their souls, and their music. The music survived because of them. That’s what is so important.”

In addition to recording a lot of traditional Armenian music on the kanun over the years, Topouzian also produced a film documentary about the history of Armenian musicians in Detroit. The documentary has aired worldwide on PBS stations. Metro Detroit has one of the largest Armenian-American communities in the Midwest.

What Topouzian will play during his performance in Manchester will be traditional Armenian and Middle Eastern village songs, many of which are considered dance of kef (party) music. In addition, he will be accompanied by a dumbeg (hourglass-shaped hand drum) and a guitarist. Together they will play an array of Armenian and Middle Eastern instrumental music, with Ara sharing stories and thoughts along the way.

“The music is very important to who I am and I absolutely love playing and listening to the music,” he says.

Tickets to the event are limited and available for $20 on Eventbrite. The Manchester Area Historical Society Blacksmith Shop is an intimate and unique setting for this extremely distinctive–and yes, historic–event. This concert is partially sponsored by the Michigan Humanities Council and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.

The kanun is a distinctive Middle Eastern harp instrument with 72 strings, and is considered a forerunner of the modern piano.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.